Lid-support



C. A. AHLSTROM.

LID SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 10. 1919.

Patented May 31,1921.

AV M

LID-SUPPORT.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. Arni- STROM, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Jamestown, in the county of Chautauqua and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lid-Supports, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specificatlon.

The invention relates to supports for hinged lids of upright pianos, cases, chests and similar articles in which the lid is swung upward and which it is desirable to support at different heights; and the object of the invention is to provide a simple and strong removable latch bar lid support which is so confined to its work that it automatically interlocks with a supporting catch pin or other element as the lid is raised, the

inclination and draw across the'arc of the raised lid automatically'drawing the notched edge across said supporting pin and engaging the same, the lower notch or engaging openings being a double notch whlch holds the lid against raising above a prescribed limit; and the invention consists in the novel features and combinations hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View of the top portion of an upright piano or chest near one end showing the lid in the closed position with the lid support attached thereto,two different elevations of said lid being shown in dotted outline. Fig. 2 is an edgewise elevation of the support bar with the lid attaching bracket in section, and showing the hook joint pivotal attachment of the upper end of said bar to said bracket; and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of said lid support bar. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the catch block showing the support bar engagement with the catchpinin said block. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the under side of the lid attaching bracket for the upper end of the support bar; and Fig. 6 is an elevation of the same showing the hole for the hook joint on the upper end of said support bar. Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the catchblock at line 77 in Fig. 8 showing the construction and arrangement of the same with the sup port bar against the catch pin; and Fig, 8 is a plan view of the same,

Specification 02 Letters Patent. Patented May Application filed. November 10, 1919. Serial No. 336,935. I

. Like characters oireference refer to corupper end 15 of the inclined removable'lid support or latch bar 16 in an easily removable hook joint which permits the pivotal turning of the end 15 of said lid support or latch bar 16 in the bracket 13 as the'lid 11 is raised, said inclined latch bar 16 resting against the pin 19. g

The inclined removable lid support or latch bar 16 has the notches or catches 17 and 18 in the edge thereof toward the radial center formed by the pin of the hinge 12v for the lid 11, so that when said lid 11 is raised, the edge of the inclined latch bar 16 will ride by gravity across'the catch pin 19,'and automatically engages said catch pin 19 by gravity in the catch or notch openings .17 f

and 18.

It is desirable to raise and support the lids of certain, articles, as for example upright pianos and reproducing or talking machine cases at different heights and degrees of inclination. Accordingly a plurality of downwardly hooked catch openings 17 and Bare provided in the edge of the support or latch bar 16 according to the different heights at which it is desiredto support the lid.

In order to hold the lid support or latch bar 16 in contact against the catch pin 19 and at the same time keep saidpin as noiseless as possible, a catch pin block 20 is provided which is attached to the inner wall 1 of the chest or case'lO by suitable screws 22. It has the mortised opening 21 therein across orthrough'which thecatch pin 19 is driven. Alongside the catch pin 19 a rubber buffer or cushion pin 23 is placed, against which the lidsupport or latch bar 16 rests as it slides backan'd forth upward and downward between'said cushion pin 23 and theinner side of the Inortised' block :20, riding upon the P 19 in raising @119 le sg the l l 1 The block 20 is preferably made of wood so that with the rubber headed cushion pin 23 on one side of the rigid support or latch bar 16 and the wood block 20 on the other side, said support or latch bar 16 is noiseless as possible as it slides up and down over the pin 19.

In order that the lid support bar 16 may be limited in its upward movement and not pass out of the catch block 20, the lower catch opening 18 is preferably made double, that is, with a downwardly projecting catch 18 and an upwardly projecting catch 25, the inner wall of said catch opening being preferably vertical when the lid is in the closed position so that when the lid 11 is drawn upward and the upper end of the support or latch bar 16 is drawn over in the radial line formed by the raising of said lid upon the axis of the hinge 12, it is apparent that the pin 19 will ride on the straight wall or bottom 24 of the catch opening 18, 25, thereby insuring the engagement of the upwardly hooked catch 25.

It is apparent that the hooks 17, 18 and 25 act entirely by gravity, the inclination and radial draw of the bracket 13 on the lid support or latch bar 16 by the raising of the lid 11 causing said catches on said lid support bar to engage the catch pin 19 by gravity as said lid is raised, it only being necessary to manually swing the lid support or latch bar 16 forward so that said catches 17 and 18 do not engage the catch pin 19 to permit the lid 11 to be lowered.

The removable latch bar 16 has the sidewise bent upper end 15 which forms a hooked interlocking joint through the hole 14, which permits the quick and easy attachment or removal of the end 15 to the bracket 13, as may bedesired. The end 15 turns up alongside and in line with the downwardly projecting lug on the opposite side of said lug from which it is inserted, thereby firmly locking the latch bar 16 so long as it is in line with said downwardly projecting lug of the bracket 13.

In order to insert or remove the end 15 in the hole 14, it is only necessary to raise the latch bar sidewise of said lug thereby permitting the insertion or removal as stated. This arrangement also permits the free pivotal swinging of the latch bar 16 in the hole 14 on its hooked joint or shoulder in the end 15 so that it can be freely swung forward to permit the'lowering of the lid 11, yet instantly drops back to its normally inclined position against the pin 19 when inserted within the confining guide and catch block 20 in order to insert the lower end of the latch bar 16 within the guide block between the cushion 23 and said block, it only being necessary to raise the lid holding said lower end in position for insertion and removal of the parts,

I claim as new:

1. A lid support comprising a catch pin on the inner side of the case, a latch bar pivctally and detachably attached to the under side of the lid and riding on said catch pin, said latch bar having downwardly projecting notches therein to engage on said latch'pin and support said lid at different heights, one of said notches constituting a straight two-way catch to engage said latch pin and limit both the downward and upward movement of said lid.

2. A lid support comprising a latch bar having a notch in the edge thereof to form a downwardly projecting catch, a lengthened notch at the lower end of said latch bar shaped to form upward and downward catches, pivotal and removable attachment for said latch bar to the underside of said lid, a catch pin on the inner wall of the case to receive the notched edge of said latch bar thereagainst at an incline, and a mortised wood blockfor said latch pin on the inner wall of said case to hold said latch bar against said catch pin.

3.71% lid support comprising a catch pin on the inner side of thecase, a latch bar hav ing downwardly projecting notches therein toengage on said catch pin and support the lid at different heights, the notch on the lower end of said latch bar constituting a straight two-way catch to engage said latch pin and limit the upward and downward movement of said lid, and a pivotal hookjoint bracket attachment for said latch bar to the under side'of said lid to render said latch bar detachable.

4. A lid support comprising a latch bar having downwardly and upwardly projecting catches in the edge thereof, a downwardly projecting bracket on the under side of the lid having a hole therein, the upper end of said latch bar shaped to removably lit in saidhole with a pivotal hook joint, and a catch pin on the inner wall of the case to engage said upward and downward catches on the edge of said latch bar to limit the movement of and support said lid at dif ferent heights. 5. A lid support comprising a latch bar having a plurality of catch shaped notches in the edge thereof, the upper end of said latch bar pivotally and removably attached to the under side of said lid, a catch pin on the inner wall of the case against which the notched edge of said latch bar rides to engage said pin at different heights, and a wood block and rubber cushion to hold said latch bar against said pin and to silence action of the same.

6. A lid support comprising a latch bar having a plurality of catch shaped notches in the lower edge thereof, the'upp'er end of said latch bar pivotally and detachably attached to the under side Of S id lid, a block on the inner wall of the case having an In testimony'whereofl' have afiixed Iny opening therethrough, a catch pin extendsignature in the presence of two Witnesses.

ing through said block into said case said catch pin supported on its outer end b3 said CHARLES AHLSTROM block and receiving said latch bar at an in- Witnesses:

cline through said opening to supportsaid C. V. SWANsON,

lid in different positions on said pin. A. W. KITTLE. 

